Japan vs England LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Marcus Smith inspires big win in Tokyo
Japan 17-52 England: Marcus Smith and Henry Slade pulled the strings as the visitors ran in eight tries
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Your support makes all the difference.England kicked off their summer tour with an eight-try thrashing of Japan in Tokyo as they tuned up for two Tests against the All Blacks.
Steve Borthwick’s side head south for a two-Test tour of New Zealand at the start of July, and the England head coach will have been pleased with how his side accelerated away after a sticky start on a hot and humid afternoon. After holding firm defensively despite a fast Japanese start, Marcus Smith and Henry Slade pulled the strings nicely at the Japan National Stadium as England showed off their attacking array to take control of the contest.
Four first-half tries were followed by scores after interval from Alex Mitchell, Ben Earl, Harry Randall and Sam Underhill, though England’s win was somewhat marred by the sending off of Charlie Ewels late on. The lock was making his first international appearance since being red carded at Twickenham against Ireland during the 2022 Six Nations but flew in dangerously on Japan captain Michael Leitch at a ruck to potentially end his tour.
The Ewels incident came amid Japan’s brightest spell as lock Warner Dearns created two excellent tries, but it is England who emerged as sizeable winners to take confidence into their first clash with the All Blacks in a fortnight.
Re-live all of the action from the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo below:
Japan 0-0 England, 1 minute
A nervy start for Chandler Cunningham-South, fumbling the first high ball but scrambling swiftly to get down on it. It went backwards, the officials rule, allowing Alex Mitchell to clear. Japan will launch the first attack off the top of a lineout.
And they’ll earn the game’s first penalty. A failure to vacate the ruck is pinged by referee Ramos - and Seungsin Lee gestures towards the posts.
KICK OFF!
Referee Luc Ramos peeps his whistle, Seungin Lee hoists the opening kick off skywards and we are underway in Tokyo!
Japan vs England
Out the players come, Japan in their red and white stripes, England in their change navy blue. Michael Leitch takes a moment to compose himself as he steps alongside Jamie George at the head of the lines - Eddie Jones has always gone out of his way to praise the leadership of a man so integral to Japan’s growth over the last decade. Can Leitch inspire another famous day for his side?
Japan vs England
Right, here we go. It’s scorchio at the National Stadium in Tokyo, but a good crowd have navigated up to Shinjuku to a ground built for the last Olympics.
Team news - England
With George Ford absent due to injury, Marcus Smith is handed the reins at fly half for England. Harlequins teammate Chandler Cunningham-South is set for a first start on the blindside after impressing in a bench role during the Six Nations, while Sale wing Tom Roebuck is in line for a debut having been named as a replacement.
England XV: 1 Bevan Rodd, 2 Jamie George (c), 3 Dan Cole; 4 Maro Itoje, 5 George Martin; 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Ben Earl; 9 Alex Mitchell, 10 Marcus Smith; 11 Tommy Freeman, 12 Ollie Lawrence, 13 Henry Slade, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso; 15 George Furbank.
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Tom Curry; 21 Harry Randall, 22 Fin Smith, 23 Tom Roebuck.
Team news - Japan
Eddie Jones hands a debut to young full-back Yoshitaka Yazaki, who has impressed in university rugby but is yet to make an appearance at professional level. Veteran flanker Michael Leitch skippers a fresh-looking side as Japan begin to build again after a disappointing World Cup.
And breaking news of a last minute change: Dylan Riley has been ruled out. Samisoni Tua steps up into the starting side at outside centre and Takuya Yamasawa is brought on to the bench
Japan XV: 1 Takayoshi Mohara, 2 Mamoru Harada, 3 Shuhhei Takeuchi; 4 Sanaila Waqa, 5 Warner Dearns; 6 Michael Leitch (c), 7 Tiennan Costley, 8 Faulua Makisi; 9 Naoto Saito, 10 Seungsin Lee; 11 Koga Nezuka, 12 Tomoki Osada, 13 Samisoni Tua, 14 Jone Naikabula; 15 Yoshitaka Yazaki.
Replacements:16 Atsushi Sakate, 17 Shogo Miura, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Amanaki Saumaki, 20 Kai Yamamoto; 21 Shinobu Fujiwara, 22 Rikiya Matsuda, 23 Takuya Yamasawa.
Invaluable – Jamie George hoping ‘incredible’ Kevin Sinfield stays with England
England captain Jamie George wants Kevin Sinfield to remain a part of Steve Borthwick’s coaching team beyond the current tour to Japan and New Zealand.
Sinfield is due to leave his role as skills and kicking coach this summer but it has emerged that he is rethinking his future as Borthwick explores the possibility of him staying with the Rugby Football Union.
The 43-year-old’s departure was announced in January after a year-long spell as defence coach that included the World Cup, but he is regarded by players as an important presence around the squad who should be retained.
“I couldn’t be keener for him to stay,” George told a press conference in Tokyo ahead of today’s clash with Japan.
Invaluable – Jamie George hoping ‘incredible’ Kevin Sinfield stays with England
Sinfield is due to leave his role as England skills and kicking coach this summer
Ben Youngs believes ‘very good coach’ Eddie Jones has a lot to offer Japan
Ben Youngs has warned England that Eddie Jones remains an elite coach whose second term with Japan will be driven by his recent failures.
Jones and Steve Borthwick will go head to head for the first time when the Australian and his former number two clash in the master and apprentice duel that underpins England’s tour opener in Tokyo on Saturday.
It has been just 18 months since Jones was sacked by the Rugby Football Union for a downturn in results, yet before returning to Japan he squeezed in a disastrous homecoming with the Wallabies that ended when they failed to emerge from the group stage of last autumn’s World Cup.
Ben Youngs believes ‘very good coach’ Eddie Jones has a lot to offer Japan
Youngs was Jones’ first choice scrum-half for the whole of his seven-year reign as England coach
Eddie Jones sends England warning and reveals Japan’s danger man
Eddie Jones has warned England they will be taken to the wire as Japan target a major upset in Saturday’s clash in Tokyo.
Jones’ second spell as Japan boss begins at the National Stadium where he is facing the side he coached for seven years until he was sacked in December 2022 because of a slump in results.
Adding further intrigue is that for the first time he will be coming up against Steve Borthwick, his former number two with both the Brave Blossoms and England who succeeded him at Twickenham.
Eddie Jones sends England warning and reveals Japan’s danger man
Jones’ second spell as Japan boss begins against the side he coached for seven years
Japan vs England talking points: Hosts in rebuilding mode
Japan field four debutants including a player who still turns out for his university side as they begin rebuilding for the 2027 World Cup. It was classic Jones picking Yoshitaka Yazaki at full-back even though he has yet to appear in a professional game, but the Australian is convinced the 20-year-old is ready for the step up. Japan intend playing fast and loose to suit their strengths and need to avoid an arm wrestle up front, especially with two of those debutants appearing in the front row.
Talking points as England kick off summer tour against Eddie Jones’ Japan
The match takes place at the National Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday.
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